Ejecting-type fork



INVENTOR.

D. J. CESARE EJECTING-TYPE FORK Filed Oct. 13, 1953 March 5, 1957,lilllllln l J lilllr G mw sm. S

United States Patent EJECTING-TYPE FORK Dominee J. Cesare, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 13, 1953, Serial No. 385,876

3 Claims. (Cl. 30129) This invention relates to a fork of the type whichis equipped with a mechanical arrangement for dislodging whatever isimpaled on the tines.

Forks of this general characterV are well known but suffer from twoprincipal shortcomings. One class includes devices which require anoperation of the fingers which is foreign to the natural action wherebya fork is ordinarily gripped, and another class which, while includingmeans operated by the customary, natural, squeezing action of the palmand fingers, requires a force out of proportion to the result attained..I. have .found that anidealized implement of ltheforegoing charactershould have its ejecting means operated by a substantial continuation ofthe same movement by which the food, or other object, is impaled, andshould be so designed as to offer its greatest resistance to actuationwhen the fingers and palm are farthest apart and which resistance shoulddecrease toward the end of the ejecting opera-tion. That is to say,maximum expenditure of force by the fingers is easiest at the beginningof a squeezing movement, and is most difficult after prolongation of thegripping.

Accordingly, the principal object of the invention is to provide anejecting-type fork which includes mechanism operated with the palm andfingers in the same position as they occupy in picking up or holding theimpaled object.

Another object lies in achieving the foregoing aim by mechanism which iseasily disassembled for cleaning.

A further object resides in providing ejecting mechanism for operationwith a fork having curved tines and which is incapable of jamming in anyof its operated positions.

Another object is to provide an ejecting-type fork which requiresminimum expenditure of energy for its operation.

Other objects will appear from the following description which, read inconnection with accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred form whichthe invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. l shows a longitudinal cross section taken substantially on thecenter line showing the ejecting mechanism retracted, or in normalposition;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the ejecting mechanism in its fullactuated position;

Fig. 3 shows a top plan view;

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are transverse cross sections taken on the lines 44, 5 5, 6--6 and 7-7 respectively of Fig. 2.

Regarded generally the invention comprehends a fork having a plateguided by the tines and movable longitudinally thereof to dislodge anobject impaled thereon. The plate is connected to one movable arm of atoggle linkage through a flexible member whereby actuation of thelinkage may reciprocate the plate from inactive to active positions,return being effected by spring action. Force is applied to the togglelinkage at its customary operating point by means of a movable armpivoted to and forming part of the handle of the fork in order that -thesame may be first employed in its conventional way and then this actionfollowed by ejection without the necessity of changing the grasp.Additionally the movable portion of the handle is shaped concavelyinwardly to afford movement of the toggle relatively thereto withminimum resistance. As another feature the friction between the toggleand handle is reduced by the provision of rolling contact means.

Referring to the drawing the fork comprises a shank or body 10 ofchannel section including flanges 11-11 and a web 12. turned inwardly asshown at 14-14 (Fig. S) to supplement the rigidity.

Secured, as by welding to the fore part of the shank, is the fork proper21 including a plurality of tines 22, in this case two in number,although not necessarily so limited. Conventionally the tines 22 arepreferably curved although the invention is equally applicable whenl thetines are straight.

Arranged to be guided slidably on the tines 22 is an ejector plate 25riveted to a bent-up end 26 of an elongated link or pusher 27 which isbasically transversely flexible in adirection perpendicular to itslongitudinal axis. -JBy way-1 of illustration this latter is shown as offlat spring material although equivalent flexible, yet comparativelyrigid members may be substituted, the desideratum being that relativelyrectilinear thrusting motion be imparted to the plate 25 notwithstandingthe curved path to which it is confined by the openings 31 through whichthe tines are passed.

Pusher 27 is pierced at its inner extremity to receive one end of atension retracting spring 32, the other end of which is hooked over apin 33 secured between the flanges 11-11.

Secured to the pusher 27 by means of a pivotal connection 34 is one armof a toggle joint; the other arm 36 of which is pivoted on the pin 33.An intermediate link 38 is provided and comprises a clamping portion 39by means of which arm 36 is attached, a pivot 41 upon which the arm 35may swing and a roller 42.

Pivoted at 51 intermediate the flanges 11-11 is the movable portion 52of the handle, also channel-shaped for rigidity and arcuate to fit thehand comfortably. The curve may be similar to the tractrix, or curve ofleast friction in order to minimize the operating effort. An extendedpart 54 is arranged to abut the web 12 in the outermost position of thehandle part 52 to limit its movement, whereas the tension of the spring32, acting through the toggle linkage, provides the necessary biasnormally to maintain the handle part 52 in its inactive position.

If desired a plastic composition handle part 59 may be riveted over theshank 10 to afford a more comfortable grip, and a ring 61 may be passedtherethrough for suspending the fork when not in use.

During use of the fork as such the same will present the aspect seen inFig. 1, the handle parts 59 and 52 being grasped between the palm andfingers as is customary. After irnpalement the object may be ejected byactuation of the part 52 inwardly which in turn applies force to lthetoggle joint through the member 38. This action is transmitted to thepusher 27 for ejection of the object. By virtue of the mechanics of atwo-arm toggle joint of the character here incorporated the mechanicaladvantage increases as the angle included between the arms 35 and 36increases. Accordingly, the operating force is least in the position ofFig. 2, which corresponds to practically closed condition of the usershand whereat the energy available for gripping has decreased. Release lfdesired the flanges 11-11 may be ofthe-handle part 52 will permit thespring to restore To Yfacilitate ,cleaning .of the implememme pivots.33, and`51 may each be mounted on a separate part rendered readilydetachable from the; shank 1l) by the provision of 1 pn-.andslotfriction; rin-:ans` and similarly-,With respect tothe -pivot `3:3:Thus,`by:detaching the; rear. endof the springg 32. the. link 27 anditsthereto-connected parts may .bequckly .disassenlbled4 by appropriate.manipulation of the pin-and-slot means;

While I have shown a particular embodiment. of invention, itwill beunderstood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made, and I` therefore contemplate bytheyappended claims to cover any such modifications .as f'all within thetrue-spirit and scope ot myinvention.

IV claim:

l. An; ejecting typeV forkv comprising an elongated body,

tides-,secured toI one end of said. body, an ejector plate slidablyguided on said tines, a toggle joint disprosedfat theother end of: saidtbody,A the outer end of one arm of said joint beingpivoted tothe body,a link connecting the outer. endoi theotheram oi?A said joint to saidplate', the.l endv of' one arm adjacent' the center pivot having a`roller, and a handle part pivoted to said` body and contact-v ing saidroller to actuate the toggle joint to dislodge the objectimpaledonzthe-tines.

2v.A ejectingtype-fork comprising anelongated' body, tinesfsecured toone. end` of. saidf body, an ejector plate slidzgbly4 guided o n' saidtitles, a toggleA jointl disposed; gg-

aol

,the otherrend' of"saidbody. and. including a rear by one end and by theother end to the outer end of said front arm, at least one of said armsat its inward end having a projection, the center pivot ofthe jointbeing carried on said projection in a position olfset toward said bodyfrom the longitudinal axis of said one arm, a retractng spring for saidlink, .a handle part pivotally connected to said bodysaid one arm at theinward end thereof having an anti-fn`ction bearing for contact by saidhandle part tooperate the joint and thereby dislodge the object impaledon the tines..

3. An ejecting-type fork comprising an elongated body,

-tnes secured to oneendof said body', an ejector plate References Citedinthe ile ofthis patenty UNITEDSTATES PATENTS

